The present invention relates generally to lacrosse equipment, and more particularly, to a lacrosse head pocket and a related method of manufacture.
Conventional lacrosse sticks include a head joined with a handle. The head includes a frame that forms a region within which a lacrosse ball can be caught, held or shot. A net is joined with the back side of the frame. Typically, the net is constructed from laces or mesh, which is further connected to the frame via multiple small holes defined by the frame. The net forms a pocket within which the lacrosse ball is held while a player is in possession of the ball, and can be a determinant factor as to the player's ability to catch, retain and shoot the ball.
Different lacrosse players at different positions typically prefer pockets having certain profiles and handling characteristics. For example, while a player at an attack position generally prefers a pocket configured for vertical cradling and accurate shooting of a lacrosse ball, a midfielder prefers a pocket for better control and safely carrying a ball by cradling it back and forth, causing the ball to snugly set in the pocket due to centripetal forces. A defensive player generally prefers a pocket configured for better cradling and release with a defensive stick. Further, depending on the player, they may prefer a modification of the pocket. For example, an attacker may prefer their shooting strings, which generally form the ramp of the pocket from which the lacrosse ball is shot, to be at a certain angle to impart spin, control the release point of the ball out of the pocket, or exert more force on the ball as it exits the head. With many conventional pockets, however, it is frequently difficult to accommodate these player preferences without significant knowledge and experience about how to modify the net so that the pocket has a specific profile and performs as desired.
In addition, when a conventional pocket wears out, the mere thought of replacing it can be daunting to many, particularly younger or less experienced lacrosse players. This is true for traditional pockets, which include a complicated arrangement of thongs and lacing, and in many cases mesh pockets, which include a soft fabric mesh material that is carefully attached directly to the lacrosse. The reason many players dread replacing or servicing pockets is because most pockets require a complex lacing procedure, which is mastered by only a limited number of individuals, to secure the net to a lacrosse frame in a desired pocket configuration. Thus, many lacrosse players, particularly youths and newcomers to the sport, are left at the mercy of having to wait for their lacrosse sticks to be restrung by someone else, and even then, after the pocket is strung, it usually takes several weeks or months until the pocket is properly broken in to achieve a desired profile.
In addition to conventional lacrosse pockets being difficult to customize and replace, they usually are affected by climate and moisture. For example, even where a pocket net is woven or otherwise constructed from filaments of nylon or polypropylene, when wetted by a rain, the net of the pocket can expand or become slippery, and when dried after being wetted the net can shrink, both of which can significantly alter how a lacrosse ball is shot from the pocket. This can lead to inconsistent shooting, which can be detrimental to the player's performance.
Some manufacturers have attempted to resolve the above issues. One approach is implemented in a pocket called the deBeer Gripper Pro, commercially available from J. deBeer & Son of Altamont, N.Y. The technology of this pocket is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 7,524,253 to Gait, which generally describes a pre-formed pocket including runners having two layers of multiple types of different materials and perpendicular cross pieces strung between the runners. A first layer includes a polyurethane material that is joined with a braided nylon web. A second layer also includes a polyurethane material joined with another braided nylon web. The first and second layers are sandwiched and machine stitched together in some areas, but separated in other areas to form openings between the layers. The openings are large enough so that the cross pieces can be loosely inserted through them. The cross pieces or other laces are then laced through openings in the lacrosse head frame.
While this construction provides an easy-to-install runner system, it requires a skill to precisely position and connect the cross pieces to the multilayered runners, which skill may not be possessed by younger or inexperienced players. Moreover, although the polyurethane and braided nylon layers work well, the layering of different materials requires additional assembly time. The extra machine stitching and sewing to join the various layers also requires additional assembly time and resources.
Another attempt to resolve the above issues with conventional pockets is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 7,192,369 to Morrow, which discloses in one embodiment a mesh pocket integrally formed with a lacrosse head frame. The mesh and head are constructed from the same plastic material, with the mesh and head being portions a single, injection molded item. While this construction eliminates the connection issues between the head and pocket, the pocket material generally is of the same rigidity and has the same characteristics as the head material, which might not be desirable to all players. Further, these “hard pockets” usually do not have sufficient flexibility and sometimes cannot retain a lacrosse ball in the pocket well.